Putty applicator or tool



2,755,504 Patented July 24, 1956 PUTTY APPLICATOR R TOOL Leo Greene, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application December 14, 1954, Serial No. 475,171

4 Claims. (Cl. 18-35) This invention relates generally to putty applicators or puttying tools.

In my copending application, Serial No. 450,918, I have described a puttying tool having a relatively long flat blade, and characterized by a number of advantages over prior art tools or applicators of this type.

In using the tool to apply and smooth certain types of putty having a rubber base, such, for example, as B. F. Goodrich Plastikon rubber putty, it is desirable to use kerosene as a thinner for the putty and to increase tackiness of the putty as it is being applied, and in this connection, it is desirable to lubricate the blade of the tool with kerosene.

In order to facilitate such lubrication of the blade of the tool, without the delay and inconvenience of applying the kerosene to the tool blade with a rag, or by dipping the tool in a kerosene solution, I have improved the tool by incorporating therein certain features whereby kerosene may be fed to the blade, as desired, and in virtually an automatic manner.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a tool of the character described, which has incorporated therein means for feeding kerosene or the like to the working surface of the tool blade.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the character described, which has incorporated therein kerosene feeding means which is controllable to a certain extent by the user or operator of the tool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool of the character described, which has incorporated therein a wick or similar holder for the kerosene or like solution.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view, showing the manner in which the applicator is used.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the applicator;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the putty applicator or puttying tool will be seen to comprise a body 1 formed of sheet metal, said body being 3. rectangular form and being relatively long as compared to the width thereof, the length being approximately six times the width. The body 1 is bent at both ends to provide upwardly curved flanges 2 and 3.

The applicator further includes a putty applying and smoothing blade 4 which extends longitudinally along one edge of the body 1, at an acute to the body, the angle being such as to provide the desired angular surface to the putty binder indicated at 5 as it is applied to the window frame 6 for holding the window pane 7 in place.

The blade 4 is identical in construction with the body 1, and is coextensive in length with the body, but is somewhat wider than the latter, and is provided with upwardly curved flanges 8 and 9, which are similar in all respects to the flanges 2 and 3. The blade, in fact, is formed integrally with the body, so that the body and blade may be stamped and formed in virtually a single operation from a rectangular piece of sheet metal or strip.

The blade 4 is also provided at longitudinally and transversely spaced points with perforations 4a which serve a purpose to be presently described, as well as with grooves 8 extending from the perforations, the function of which will also be described.

The tool further includes a wick housing which consists of a Hat, rectangular piece 4b of sheet metal, which is preferably relatively thin and somewhat springy or resilient, and is provided with downwardly extending flanges 10, 11 and 12 which are secured, as by soldering or welding to the blade 4 adjacent the lower edge and ends of the blade.

The housing thus provided has an opening 13 at the edge thereof which is adjacent the junction between the body 1 and blade 4, through which opening, a wick 14 of any conventional material used for making wicks may be inserted. After insertion, the wick 14 fills substantially all of the space within the housing. The function of this wick will be presently described.

For the purpose of facilitating handling and use of the tool, a handle is provided which is formed from a single strip of sheet metal bent to provide an inverted U-shaped central portion 15 which is adapted to be grasped by the fingers of the user of the tool, and flanges 16 and 17 extending horizontally outward from the ends of said U-shaped portion and spot welded, as at 18, to the upper surface of the body 1, it being noted that the handle is secured to the body centrally of the latter, and that the flanges 16 and 17 are spaced somewhat from the flanges 2 and 3.

In using the applicator, the putty is first roughly applied to the window frame in the conventional manner. The applicator is then placed with the outer surface of the body 1 in engagement with the frame, as shown in Fig. 1, and the tool is then drawn along the frame with the blade 4 engaging the putty, securely pressing it in place and shaping it.

In order to apply a lubricant, such as kerosene, to the working surface of the blade 4, when working with a rubber base putty of the character described, the wick 14 is impregnated or saturated with the lubricant as by applying the lubricant through the opening 13 with an ordinary oil can. The lubricant will then be fed by the wick through the perforations 4a, and to the working surface of the blade, maintaining said surface in proper working condition at all times. The grooves 8' in the working surface of the blade, which extend transversely from the lower ends of the perforations, but which may also extend longitudinally of said surface, act as channels to conduct the lubricant to various parts of the Working surface of the blade.

If the flow of lubricant through the perforations is not sufficient, such flow may be increased by merely pressing downwardly on the springy or resilient portion 41) of the wick housing, which has the effect of not only compressing the wick so as to expel lubricant therefrom through the perforations, but also serves, to some extent, to expel any putty which may clog these perforations.

Should the perforations become clogged in a manner which might interfere with the flow of lubricant therehousing rnay, it? desirechi be formed. from-the.- sameblank.

om; whichhe body r.1d-.=b1a e; 4Eare;formed.1

Moreover, if desired, ,an, oil; reservoir (not shown) which may be in the nature of anoilcup or thelike, may be mountedonthe housing 4b for the purpose; of-feeding.

theiwick throughan opening in the housing. 7

It is .to; be understood that the formsof my invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred; examples of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the. spirit of-my invention, or. the scope ofi thetsubjoiued claims.

Having-thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A- putty. applicator comprising a blade having a working surface for smoothing the putty, said blade having; perforations extending therethrough, a. housing disposed at the non-workingv surface of;said blade, and a wick: enclosed within said housing, said wick adapted to-be impregnated with a lubricant tov be expelled through said-perforations.

aid. housing. has.\. ll... boyeaid. wicks. which Walt i flexible to a limited extent, whereby said wall may be flexed to compress said wick to expel lubricant therefrom.

3. A putty applicator, as defined in claim 1, in which said housing has an entrance opening through which said Wick may be inserted into said housing and lubricant inserted into the housing.

4. A putty: applicator, as defined in claim- 1, including channels in the Working surface extending from the lower ends of said perforations.

References Cited in the file of this patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,390,126 Halaska Sept. 6, 1921 1,628,315 Hamilton May 10, 1927 1,672,416 LaClair JuneS, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,121 Great Britain June 8, 1905 of 1904 366,991 Germany Jan. 15, 1923 

